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MLB 07 The Show
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Table of Contents
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1. What is a closing pitcher?
2. The Pitches
2A. 4 Seam Fastball
2B. 2 Seam Fastball
2C. Screwball
2D. Splitter
2E. Knuckleball
2F. Knucklecurve
2G. Curveball
2H. 12-6 Curveball
2I. Running Fastball
2J. Forkball
2K. Changeup
2L. Slider
2M. Cutter
2N. Slurve
2O. Sweeping Curveball
2P. Circle Changeup
2Q. Palmball
2R. Sinker
2S. Gyroball
2T. Eephus Pitch
3. Delivery
4. Skill Points
5. Career
6. Retiring
7. Credits
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First things first
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This guide was written solely by me, chickenman77. Credits will go to the
people who helped me with this guide. Any duplications of this guide
without my permission is illegal. The only site that can use it is
gamefaqs.
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Version History
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1.0: First version.
1.05: Added Gyroball and Eephus pitch to pitches section.
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1. What is a closing pitcher?
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A closing pitcher is a pitcher who usually ends the game. Their most notable
stats are saves, which is when the game is close, the pitcher who wins it
"saved" the game from losing. When you lose in that situation, you get a
blown save, which is oposite of a save (excluding the close game part).
A closer also gets strikeouts and walks and hits like any pitcher.
Closing pitchers are very important to any team. Not having a good closer
means that that closer might let up too many runs and blow the game for
the team. A good closer might prevent any hits and runs and help the team
win the game.
Teams usually have only one closer, but they don't close every game. Some
teams use releif pitchers to releive the starting pitcher, but they may end
the game rather than puting in a closer.
You will see throughout the pitcher's career that they will gain a lot of
skill points.
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2. Pitches
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Pitches are the different types of pitches the pitcher throws. If there wasn't
different types of pitches, the pitchers would just throw fast balls and the
batters would know what the pitcher would pitch. However, having a variety
is what makes hitting so much more difficult. Throwing different pitches
isn't just throwing differently- it's about where your fingers are on
the ball. Sometimes, you use other parts of your fingers, or you palm. Here
are the pitches.
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2A. 4 Seam Fast ball
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A 4 seam fast ball is the most commenly known pitch. The 4 seam fastball is
the fastest pitch in the game. The grip is across the seams of the ball. It
is called the four seam since when you pitch it it looks as if it has 4 seams.
Any pitcher should have this pitch in the game, and you should in your career.
It is designed to have little to no movement.
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2B. 2 Seam Fast ball
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A 2 Seam fast ball is another pitch in the fastball family. Like the 4 seamer,
it is one of the fastest. The pitch has more movement then the 4 seam fast ball,
but it is usually hard to control. Pitchers grip the ball across the 2 seams
where the seams are closest together. Not all pitchers have this, but it is
easy to fool a batter who thinks it is a regular fastball.
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2C. Screwball
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A screwball is a breaking ball and less known. The pitch is gripped like a 4
seam fastball, but once you release it you turn your wrist clockwise. The
pitch moves left to right from a right handed pitcher's point of view.
Right handed pitchers usually use this against left handed hitters.
Not a lot of pitchers use this pitch, but it does seem effective.
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2D. Splitter
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A splitter is another part of the fastball family. It is called a splitter
due to how the ball is gripped. The middle finger and index finger are
gripped on different sides of the ball like it is splitting apart. When
pitched, it looks like a normal fastball, but then suddenly drops down
to the batter's knees.
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2E. Knuckleball
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The knuckle ball is a very odd pitch. It is gripped by the knuckles of
the pitcher, and is unpredictable as to where it goes. It is difficult
for the hitter, pitcher, and catcher. The hitter can never really predict
where the pitch will go. The pitch is very difficult to control, and
difficult to catch. The pitch is slow, and many pitchers do not pitch
it.
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2F. Knucklecurve
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A knucklecurve is a breaking ball that is a lot like a standard curveball.
It is thrown with one or more of the index of mean fingers bent. The pitch
is not much of a knuckleball at all. However there is a different method
of throwing this where you do use your knuckles to grip the ball.
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2G. Curveball
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The curveball is the most commonly known breaking ball. When gripping
pitchers grip the ball deeper into their palm and finger than they would
throwing a fastball. When the pitcher releases the ball, they roll their
hand over the top of the ball to create downward. At a proffessional level,
the pitch can be thrown 15 mile per hour slower than a fastball.
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2H. 12-6 Curveball
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This is the same as a curveball, just with more or less downward motion.
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2I. Running Fastball
======================
This is a 2 seam fastball type pitch without a downward motion. The pitch
has a severe break and can be used to make hitters look stupid when maxed
out.
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2J. Forkball
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The forkball is an off speed type pitch that is somewhat related to the
splitter. The ball is held between the the first two fingers and is thrown
hard by the snapping of the wrist. The ball is held deeper into the fingers
than the splitter which makes it slower but makes it a lot like a nuckleball.
I would reccomend this pitch personally from using this as a strikeout pitch.
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2K. Changeup
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The changeup is the most commonly known off speed pitch. You grip it by putting
your three fingers on the top of the ball and the thumb on the bottom with your
pinkey off the ball. The pitch is slow and is very common. Best used after
throwing two straight very fastballs to make the hitter swing earlier, making
them miss.
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2L. Slider
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A slider is a breaking ball that is basically a halfway pitch from a curveball
and a fastball. The pitch is faster than a curveball but slower than a fastball
and has a shorter break than a curveball. A slider can be often confused with
a curveball and has great affects as a pitch.
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2M. Cutter
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A cutter is a part of the fastball family. This pitch has little break before
it crosses home plate. It is gripped like a two seam fastball but has more
pressure from the middle finger. The pitch is in between a slider and a
fastball and is faster than a slider.
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2N. Slurve
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A slurve is a breaking ball that is pitched as if the pitcher was throwing a
fastball is if they were throwing a curveball. It is derived from a slider
and a curveball. The pitch causes many concerns and is sometimes called
useless and a sloppy slider due to the wide break.
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2O. Sweeping Curveball
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This pitch is a lot like the 12-6 curveball. Not a whole lot differences.
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2P. Circle Changeup
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The Circle Changeup is an off speed pitch that is gripped by making a circle.
You put your index finger against the tip of your thumb around the ball while
gripping the ball with your other three fingers. The ball has a little rotation
and has a break that is oposite of the pitcher's arm.
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2Q. Palmball
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The palmball is an off speed pitch that is gripped by the palm. It is thrown
like a fastball but due to the grip it takes off velocity. The batter tends
to swing before the ball reaches the plate making it a good pitch.
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2R. Sinker
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Last but not least is a sinker which is part of the fastball family. It has
a downward break that usually tends to make the batter induce a ground ball.
The pitch is gripped similar to a fastball but when throwing the pitcher
uses a downward motion on their wrist.
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2S. Gyroball
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This pitch is only avaible for Tate Baik(which is Daisuke Matsuzaka). The
pitch is a lot like a slider. Not avaible for use for other pitchers.
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2T. Eephus
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This pitch is in the manual, but is not in the game. It is more like a normal
throw rather than a pitch.
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3. Delivery
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A delivery is how the pitcher throws the ball. Not gripping the ball, but
throwing it. There are 4 different types of deliveries: Overhand, Siderarm,
Three Quarters, and Submarine.
The Overhand delivery is good for pitchers who use breaking balls, as when
the pitcher releases the ball, their hand is by their shoulder, so they
need to snap their wrist to get the ball over the plate as a strike,
causing more break.
The Sidearm delivery is basically how it is writtin: You pitch sidearmed.
You will throw from your waist, and the ball will break more, which is
a good thing. This pitch can be good for breaking balls and fastballs.
The Three Quarters delivery is the most common delivery in MLB. The
release point is basically in the middle of a side arm and overhand.
The release point is just slightly above the shoulder. This is a great
delivery for ANY pitch.
Last but not least is the Submarine. This pitch is literally like a
submarine. Your hand at release point is at your thighs, which is insane.
This is a confusing delivery but I like how it looks. Every pitch works
well with it, and fastballs work great with this delivery.
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4. Skill Points
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Skill Points are attributes, basically. It is the thing that makes your pitcher
better. In this section I will tell you what to max out for your skill points
and what to leave alone for a while. Closers get a whole lot of skill points,
and you can max your pitcher out easily with a closer.
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Batting
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Don't touch this at all, pitchers do not need to hit, especially in the AL.
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Fielding
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This is something you don't need to worry about until you have maxed out
everything you need to max out. Spare points can go to this, but pitchers
don't really need to field seeing as the hits won't really go to them
a lot.
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Stamina
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Not really important for closing pitchers, seeing as they won't play very
many innings. This is another attribute you need to worry about later,
since closers don't need much to stay in the game. But I would at least
touch this a little bit now and then, if your pitcher throws fireballs
rather than fastballs :P.
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K/9, H/9, BB/9, HR/9, Pitching Clutch
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This all is in two categories and are all related in some way or another.
You need to max this out ASAP, since you don't want to blow the game by
letting up a home run. Striking batters out are important for any
pitcher, and mainly closers, since they want to end this game NOW.
Walking batters is something you want to cut down on, and letting up hits
as well. Pitching clutch means that you can get out of a tough situation
where the bases are loaded or the go ahead run is on 3rd. Increasing this
stat will increase your chances of getting out of tough situations.
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Any pitches
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Any pitch needs to get maxed out ASAP. There are exceptions as to what to
not max out. For any fastball (4 and 2 seam) DO NOT put anything into
break, except some in 2 seam. For change up and knuckle ball, do not put
a lot into velocity. Max out control for EVERY pitch.
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Anything else
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Anything else really don't put any into the skill, durability will get
maxed out with stamini, which is why I didn't put it in there.
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5. Career
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Your career is the most important part of your career. Ok, that sounded
stupid, but in your career mode, your career menu is really important.
What you have on there are things like schedule, locker room, league info
and other things. Let's start with a rundown on what you have....
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Schedule
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The schedule is a calendar that shows your upcoming games. From there
you can simulate the games, play your next game, or simulate the entire
season. Really not much in this section, pretty simple.
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Locker Room
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The locker room is all about you. You have messages from your manager
and teammates, training(where you spend your skill points), your
contract information, and interactions with your manager. What you can
do in interactions are changing your position(You can't if you are a
pitcher), ask for more playtime, or just talk to the manager. You can
also retire as a great or bad baseball player, but there is a section
for that.
The messages really aren't too important, just more of "Good game!"
or "Bad Game" or "10 saves this month? You are a great help to this
orginazation!" You can look at your achievements through this though,
just press L1. It shows when you became a pro or when you were called up
to the majors, and free agents signings and such. Then you can look at
graphs of saves, salary, strikeouts and others compared to other seasons.
Contract info really is just to show what your contract is, and stats
from your career.
And training is where you put your skill points. You need at least 100
to train in one thing. If you haven't trained something in 30 days, that skill
will start to decrease. Of course, you don't have to train in everything,
just the important ones.
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Player Management
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In here, you can look at the roster of your team, your lineup, and the
pitching rotation. There are more, but this is usually what you will look
at most. There isn't much to say on this, since really it is obvious of
what you can do in those categories. You can't change anything though,
which is something you could do in Madden's career mode.
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Around the League
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In here, you can see league leaders, accolades(which is holl of fame, records,
and All Star Voting), Who's Hot and Who's not, and statistics. You will spend
time in here no doubt, but not really the most of the time. Really just to see
if you are leading in saves and what not.
The last thing is options, which is well options, and I don't need to go into
detail.
While in your career, you can play the games or simulate them. Me, personally,
I don't have the patience to play every game so I simulate most of them. While
in your career, you may suffer injuries. It happens, and all you have to do is
just wait until you are all healed up. Getting called up and down to and from
the majors is part of your career. In your first years, you mainly would want
to stay in the Minors, since this trains you up to play in the majors. Playing
in the majors while still in your first few years might not make you the best
closer, which is why you would expect to get sent down. Once your player gets
much better, you will be prepared for the majors. The major league is not all
fun and games. You have to be the best of the rest. The best closer on your
team, to be exact. You want to go to Cooperstown. You need it! Well, of course,
this is a video game, so you probably shouldn't get all pumped up. But if you
want a successful closer, you might as well. It took my closer about 7 years
maybe to get the All-Star status. I would be glad if you beat that and make
a superstar closer.
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6. Retiring
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Ah, yes. It gets that time in every player's career. Retirement. Although this
could go in the career section, I think this should have its own section. When
you retire, you get a plaque that says a short thing about your career. Whether
it was good or bad, it shows it on the plaque. Then you get a message from your
manager and get to see your stats. Well, congratulations! If you made a hall
of fame closer, be proud of yourself. If you broke records and became the best,
and of course, followed this guide :P, then give yourself a hand (not really).
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7. Credits
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I would like to give thanks to:
Wikipedia- For information on the pitches.
SBAllen: For being a great Admin of Gamefaqs.
CJayC: For making this awesome site.
SCEA: For making this awesome game.
Sony: For making the PS2.
If you found anything wrong in this guide, please e-mail that error to me. I
will not accept:
1) Spam or virus
2) Typo error
3) Question that has nothing to do with this game
4) I repeated question that I have answered
I will answer all questions so you can send that to me.
E-mail: jags_jags_jaguars@yahoo.com